Coupler positioning device

ABSTRACT

A coupler positioning device is used to position the coupler to achieve &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;face on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; or &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;in line&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; coupling or as near to this condition as possible. The coupler is not necessarily over the center line of the track but is in the position wherein the center lines of two adjacent couplers of two similar cars are coincident. A mechanical arrangement is provided to be used in conjunction with the truck bolster and fixed sill construction of a long, high capacity freight car. The device has particular utility with &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;end-of-car&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; cushioning devices where space for a positioning device is very limited. Motion of the mechanism is initiated from a bracket or brackets attached to the bolster of the truck. It is transmitted through arm means, lever means and rod means and is applied directly to the shank of the coupler forward of its pivotal connection to the draft rigging.

United States Patent 1 1 p 1 Jan. 16, 1973 [54] COUPLER POSITIONING DEVICE Primary ExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman [75] Inventor: Geoffrey Wilton Cope, Williamsville, 32:2 a fisf gg r tg fhggfif g q f aig agj kle, William Johnson, Jr. and Eddie E. Scott [73] Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex. I v r 1221 Filed: Feb. 3, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT A cou ler ositionin device is used to osition the [21] Appl' nzlss couple to :chieve fice on or in line coupling or as near to this condition as possible. The coupler is [52] U.S. Cl. ..213/15 not necessarily over the center line of the track but is [51] lnt.Cl ..B6lg' 7/12 in the position wherein the center lines of two ad- [58] Field of Search 213/15, 19, 20, 21, 60, 61 jacent couplers of two similar cars are coincident. A mechanical arrangement is provided to be used in [56] References Cit d conjunction with the truck bolster and fixed sill con- 1 struction of a long, high capacity freight car. The UNITED STATES PATENTS device has particular utility with end-of-car 1,123,510 1 1915 Forsyth ..213 20 vcushiming devices where SPace 3 Positioning 3 255 91 19 Cope 213 19 device is very limited. MOtiOnOf the mechanism iS in 3,587,870 6/1971 vcope 213/15 =itiated from a bracket or brackets attached to the 3,612,295 l0/l97l Glauser ..2l3/l5 bolster of the truck. It is transmitted through arm 3,37 ,80 33/1968 unga means, lever means and rod means and is applied Cope directly t0 the hank of the oupler forward of pivotal connection to the draft rigging.

6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 16 ms SHEET 1 BF 4 n in";

GEOFFREY W. COPE Pmmmm 16 ms SHEET 2 0F 4 IN ON GEOFFREY W. COPE ATTQRNEY PAIENTEDJAN 16 I975 3,710,951

' SHEEI 3 BF 4 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

GEOFFREY W. COPE ATTORNEY PAIENIEDJM 16 I973 3.710.951 sum u or 4 INVENTOR s OFF-REY w. cops ATTORNEY ments, thus producing large overhangs to aggravate the coupling problem. Also, there are many more expensive specialized cars today which need to be protected against bypassed couplers for purely economic reasons.

The long cars in use today require much greater lateral movement of the coupler head in order to negotiate the existing track curves. Since the added lateral movement is largely uncontrolled and because of the geometry involved, the couplers of two cars can bypass completely with the result that car ends can and do get badly damaged.

Conventional centering devices that hold couplers on the car body center line would be sufiicient to assure coupling every time if the couplers had a large enough gatheringrange or the coupling was performed on tangent track or large radius curved track. Type E and other knuckle type couplers have a very limited gathering range. On full curves, the angle between the coupler center lines is relatively large on long cars and jackknifmg can result. Also, even a small amount of lateral offset of the couplers with cars on a full curve can result in a bypass.

Additional problems come into being on freight cars equipped with end-of-car cushioning units. These are long travel cushioning units (hydraulic) which are mounted in and operate independently in the draft sill at each end of the car, from the body bolster out. The car center sill remains fixed. These units are usually externally sprung to provide the necessary'restoring force and the springs are, in most cases, mounted beneath the hydraulic shock absorbing component of the unit. All of this severely restricts the accessibility to the coupler for the application of the centering yoke and the centering mechanisms of many prior art constructions.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coupler positioning device which will properly align the couplers prior to coupling and automatically move couplers to the position they would normally assume after coupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler positioning device equipped with means to disengage the device for manual positioning of the coupler.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic coupler positioning device that can be used effectively with end-of-car cushioning units.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, in which: 7

FIG. I is a plan view of an end portion of the underframing of a railway car incorporating a preferred embodiment of the automatic coupler positioning device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure of F IG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevational view of the positioning device coupler actuating means;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of thecoupler actuating means shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a crosshead which is used within the coupler actuatingmeans to transmit motion to the coupler shank embracing projecting ears of the device;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the crosshead of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, particularly illustrating the disengaging mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the front part of one of the connecting rods and override springs shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8a illustrates an alternative form of the override spring and connecting rod;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an alternate utilization of an override spring mechanism; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention and in attainment of the foregoing objects, there is provided an automatic coupler positioning device for a railway car which has, among other things, an underframe; a center sill, centrally, longitudinally disposed in the underframe; a coupler mounted within the sill; and, a truck bolster pivotally connected to the sill for horizontal swinging relative thereto. The positioning device comprises laterally movable, vertically rotatable coupler actuating means, laterally embracing a shank of the coupler. The actuating means is provided with means for disengaging it from the shank. Lever means are mounted on the underframe adjacent opposite sides of the sill and are operatively associated with the coupler actuating means for laterally moving the means.

Longitudinal rod or cable means connect the lever means to the truck bolster at opposite sides of the pivot thereof and act through the lever and actuating means for causing the coupler, when uncoupled, to swing laterally in unison with the bolster and be aligned with a coupler of an adjacent similar railway car. There is also override means disposed between the actuating means and the bolster on each side of the pivot thereof.

The improved automatic coupler positioning device of the present invention is designed to center an uncoupled, horizontally swingable coupler on an adjacent coupler of an adjoining similar railway car such that in a coupling operation performed on either straight or curved track, the pair of couplers will contact within their gathering range and couple automatically without prior manual positioning of either coupler. The coupler positioning device is designed particularly for use with end-of-car cushioning devices such as a Freightmaster unit, an illustration of which may be found in Carbuilders Cyclopedia, Section 12, page 680.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 8 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate modifications of the preferred embodiment. In the drawings, there is shown a coupler 10 having a head 12 and a relatively long shank l4 and connected for horizontal swinging within a housing unit by a swivel connection (not shown).

As in the usual installation of a horizontally swingable coupler, the coupler is mounted in the outer end of a center'sill 16 which extends the length of the car underframe (not shown). Rearwardly of the coupler at a distance determined by the overhang of the particular car, a truck bolster 20 is pivotally connected for relative horizontal swinging of one of the cars pair of trucks (not shown). Including the enumerated parts, except for the body,'the underframing center sill end section 18 has at its opposite end an end portion duplicating that shown in the drawings.

As the car moves along a track, its trucks swing horizontally relative to its center sill in following the tracks curvature and each truck bolster is at, all times substantially perpendicular or normal on straight track to the underlying track itself and on curved track to a tangent to the track. It is this horizontal swinging of the adjoining truck bolster relative to the center sill that is used in the positioning device for automatically centering the coupler, when uncoupled on an adjacent coupler of another similar car so as to have it ready for coupling at all such times.

The positioning device is comprised of a coupler actuating means 22 which consists of an inner cylindrical member or bearing tube 24 extending laterally or crosswise of the center sill l6 and passing through the sidewalls 26 and 28 of the sill. The tube is rotatably mounted within a bearing support 30 by means of a bracket 32. The tube contains an elongated slot 34 on opposed sides'thereof, the slot being of a length each side of the car longitudinal center line somewhat greater than the lateral travel of the coupler at that position. An outer cylindrical member 36 concentrically embraces and is slidably mounted on the inner member 24. The outer member 36 contains spaced projecting lugs or rollers 38 for embracing the coupler shank for the purpose of positioning same within the limits of the slots or sill webs, while permitting freedom for the coupler to move longitudinally as required for normal buff and draft action of the cushioning means. The projecting lugs or rollers 38 are rotatably mounted on bearing 40 which in turn are secured to a saddle 42. Preferably, the saddle 42 is pivotally mounted by means of abolt 44 or other hardware on the outer member 36 so that it can assume the angle of the coupler shank when offset in either direction. This would cranks are actuated through their angularly related I their front ends 76 to the rear elbows or ends 66 of the permit the maintenance of closer tolerances between i the lugs 38 and the coupler shank. 14 and, therefore, provide more control of its position.

A bolt or pin 46 passes through the slots 34 in the inner cylindrical member 24 and is tightened on the outer cylindrical member 36 to permit movement of the outer'member and saddle 42 containing the projecting lugs 38 along the lengthof the inner member.

Disposed within the inner cylindrical member is a pair of rods 48 which are attached to a crosshead 50 by means of a pin or bolt 52 that passes through eyelets-54 in the rods 48 and holes 56 in the crosshead. The crosshead 50 cooperates with the outer cylindrical member 36 in transmitting motionthereto and contains a central aperture 58 that receives the bolt or pin 46 passing through the slot 34 in the inner member 24, thereby securing it to the outer member. An alternative to this design would be to use a single rod member having a centrally disposed eyelet or provision for attachment to the pin passing through the inner member as mentioned above. The opposite ends of the rods are connected, preferably by a universal jointure to front elbows or ends 60 of a pair of pivotable bellcranks or bellcrank levers 62. The bellcrank levers are connected or mounted on the fixed structure of the car underframe by means of support brackets 64. The bellbellcranks.

With the above arrangement, any swinging or turning of the bolster relative to the center sill would cause the bellcranks to swing, turn or pivot in unison in the same direction under the pull of the retracting operating arm, depending upon direction of rotation. In turn, the bellcranks will shift the rods laterally within the center sill and, by virtue of its operative connection with the outer cylindrical member, it will shift the saddle containing the projecting lugs which engage the shank of the coupler and cause the coupler to swing in the same direction toward one or the other of the limits of its swing. In place of the rods, flexible cables could be used.

Each of the connecting arms is made telescopable or longitudinally yieldable in either direction by means of an override spring 78. Preferably, the rods are freely contractable by virtue of built-in slack motion 83 but can extend or elongate only against the spring force and act only separately in pull in positioning the coupler. Each of the illustrated rods is made in two parts, with a sleeve 80 fixed to one, here the forward part 76, and the other or rear part 70 telescopically received in the sleeve and having a head 82 at its front end for compressing the coil spring 84 therebetween' and the collar of the rod 70. The heads 82 normally are so spaced intermediate or from the ends of the sleeves 80 as to permit them to move forwardly freely and rearwardly against yieldable resistance the distances required to accommodate the limits of angling of the coupler, when coupled, relative to the truck bolster.

The springs 84 preferably are precompressed in the normal or at rest condition. To facilitate and capture the precompression of the spring, the end portion 88 of each part, which normally is within the sleeve, is of reduced cross section and carries at the front a washer or collar 90 having a sliding fit with both the end. portion and sleeve. As convenient, the head 86 may eitherbe screwed or slid into the end portion 88 to compress the spring to the desired extent and then pinned or otherwise locked in place.

Alternatively, an override spring, such as A, may be utilized. Here the spring 84A is precompressed between the head 82A and the apertured end 86A of the sleeve 80A, the washer 90A not being freely moveable within the sleeve. The rods are made contractable by means of a slot 83A in rod 76A which attaches by bolt (not shown) to the connecting rod. Thus, the slack motion is provided by the movement of the bolt within the slot.

The precompression of the spring is sufficient to overcome the static friction and inertia of the coupler but which will yield to permit deviation of the coupler from the truck assigned position on tangent points of curves, curve easements and reverse curves or crossovers. The springs also act as safety devices for the system since the spring force is the maximum amount of force that can be applied. This is because the travel available in the spring is sufficient to permit the coupler rotated manually by a handle and the whole positioning means 22, including the rods, is rotated due to the interaction of the slots and the bolt or pin 46. A torsion spring 94 urges the assembly toward the engaged position so that when released and when the coupler position matches the truck assigned position, the positioning saddle will automatically reengage it. A stop 96 is provided to limit the rotational travel of the unit.

centrally, longitudinally disposed center sill, a coupler, mounted within the sill and a truck bolster connected to the sill for horizontal swinging relative thereto, an automatic coupler positioning device comprising laterally moveable, vertically rotatable coupler actuating means laterally embracing a shank of thecoupler,

said actuating means being disengageable with said shank, said coupler actuating means consisting of concentric cylindrical members, theinner member extending laterally between opposed sidewalls of the sill and being rotatably secured thereto, the outer member being slidably mounted on the inner member and containing spaced projecting lugs which normally embrace the shank of the coupler, lever means mounted on the underframe adjacent opposite sides of the sill operatively associated with the actuating means for laterally moving said means, and longitudinal connecting means connecting said lever means to said bolster at opposite sides of a pivot thereof and acting through said lever Manual operation of the unit permits coupling to nonequipped cars and at tangent points where there is normally a deviation which can begreater than the coupler gathering range.

The coupler positioning saddle is in no way affected by the coupler travel and has been designed to be effective with up to inches in buff and 1 or 2 inches in pull. Even more travel could be accommodated, if required. Such a design may be used with F type or other interlocking couplers which require provision for vertical movement.

Referring to FIG. 9 of the drawings, there is shown an embodiment wherein the override mechanism 98 is disposed on the opposite side of the same front elbow 60 of the bellcrank 62 to which the rod is pivotally connected. Actually, the rod is extended and passes through the pivotal point of the bellcrank elbow. A spring 100 is disposed on this extension and is retained by a disc or washer.

In FIG. 10, there is illustrated still another embodiment of the present invention. Here, the connecting means 102 between the bellcrank 62 and the truck bolster consists of a string of interconnected chain links which at the ends contain clevised brackets 104 for attachment at one elbow to the bellcrank lever 62 and at the other end to a precompressed spring 106, which spring is directly attached to the truck bolster 20.

It 'is intended that the foregoing description and drawings be construed as illustrative and not in limitation of the teachings of the invention.

Having thus described the invention in detail and with sufficient particularity as to enable those skilled in the art to practice it, what is desired to have protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway car having an underframe, including a and actuating means for causing said coupler when uncoupled to swing laterally in unison with said bolster and be centered on a coupler of an adjacent similar railway car, there being override means disposed between the actuating means and bolster on each side of the pivot thereof.

2. The car of claim 1, in which the lever means consists of a bellcranks, said bellcranks having l front elbows pivotally connected to ends of rod means for lateral movement thereof, said rod means causing movement of said coupler actuating means and (2) rear elbows pivotally connected to one end of the override means.

3. The car of claim 1, in which the projecting lugs are rotatable about a vertical axis.

4. The car of claim 1, in which the inner cylindrical member contains an elongated slot extending between the sidewalls of the sill on opposed sides thereof, there being a pin member passing through the slots and being connected to the outer cylindrical member, the inner member, therewithin partially containing a rod member on each side of the pin means adapted at the contained end for engagement with the pin means to move the pin means and the outer cylindrical member containing the projecting lugs laterally between the sidewalls of the sill, the other end of the rod means being pivotally connected to the lever means.

5. The car of claim 1, in which the outer cylindrical member contains a disengage handle and spring means which normally urges the member toward the engaged position.

6. The car of claim 1, in which the longitudinal connecting means consist of at least two rod parts having a sleeve fixed to one part and the other part slidably received in an apertured end of the sleeve and precompressed spring means in each sleeve disposed between a headed end of said other part and the apertured end of said sleeve for yieldably permitting extension of either rod under forces applied thereto through said coupler. 

1. In a railway car having an underframe, including a centrally, longitudinally disposed center sill, a coupler, mounted within the sill and a truck bolster connected to the sill for horizontal swinging relative thereto, an automatic coupler positioning device comprising laterally moveable, vertically rotatable coupler actuating means laterally embracing a shank of the coupler, said actuating means being disengageable with said shank, said coupler actuating means consisting of concentric cylindrical members, the inner member extending laterally between opposed sidewalls of the sill and being rotatably secured thereto, the outer member being slidably mounted on the inner member and containing spaced projecting lugs which normally embrace the shank of the coupler, lever means mounted on the underframe adjacent opposite sides of the sill operatively associated with the actuating means for laterally moving said means, and longitudinal connecting means connecting said lever means to said bolster at opposite sides of a pivot thereof and acting through said lever and actuating means for causing said coupler when uncoupled to swing laterally in unison with said bolster and be centered on a coupler of an adjacent similar railway car, there being override means disposed between the actuating means and bolster on each side of the pivot thereof.
 2. The car of claim 1, in which the lever means consists of a bellcranks, said bellcranks having (1) front elbows pivotally connected to ends of rod means for lateral movement thereof, said rod means causing movement of said coupler actuating means and (2) rear elbows pivotally connected to one end of the override means.
 3. The car of claim 1, in which the projecting lugs are rotatable about a vertical axis.
 4. The car of claim 1, in which the inner cylindrical member contains an elongated slot extending between the sidewalls of the sill on opposed sides thereof, there being a pin member passing through the slots and being connected to the outer cylindrical member, the inner member, therewithin partially coNtaining a rod member on each side of the pin means adapted at the contained end for engagement with the pin means to move the pin means and the outer cylindrical member containing the projecting lugs laterally between the sidewalls of the sill, the other end of the rod means being pivotally connected to the lever means.
 5. The car of claim 1, in which the outer cylindrical member contains a disengage handle and spring means which normally urges the member toward the engaged position.
 6. The car of claim 1, in which the longitudinal connecting means consist of at least two rod parts having a sleeve fixed to one part and the other part slidably received in an apertured end of the sleeve and precompressed spring means in each sleeve disposed between a headed end of said other part and the apertured end of said sleeve for yieldably permitting extension of either rod under forces applied thereto through said coupler. 